Disease Note

Broomrape (Orobanche reticulata) Parasitizing Carrots in Spain. F. Romero-Muñoz and C. Gálvez-Ramírez, Plant Protection Department of Agrarian Research Service of Andalucía, Apartado 240, Córdoba, Spain. Plant Disease 69:727, 1985. Accepted for publication 29 April 1985. Copyright 1985 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-69-727c.

Orobanche reticulata Wallr., a new species of broomrape parasitizing an agronomic crop, was observed in 1984 in two fields of carrots (Daucus carota L.) in southern Spain—a 2-ha field in Jerez Province of Cadiz and a 1-ha field in Puente Genil in Córdoba Province.  We estimated the number of parasites at Jerez to exceed 500 individuals, equivalent to a 20% parasitism rate.  At Puente Genil, where more than 300,000 plants were affected, parasitism reached 100%.  Certified specimens have been deposited in the herbaria of the Department of Plant Protection of Agrarian Research Service (Córdoba) and the Department of Botany at the University of Córdoba.  We do not know if O. reticulata is able to parasitize other crop species.  Carrots can be parasitized by O. crenata Forsk. and O. aegyptiaca Pers., and other members of the genus Daucus can be parasitized by O. amethystea Thuill. and O. loricata Reichenb.

References: Chater, A. O. and Weeb, D. A. Flora Eur. 3:285. 1972.  Jacobson, R., and Kellman, Y. Weed Sci. 28.692. 1982.